Popcorn-popper.



N 0- PATENTBD MAY 2, 1905.

J. SPRAY.

POPCORN POPPER.

APPLIUATION FILED ma. 30,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

wimwoeo MW No. 788,680. PATENTED MAY 2, 1905.

J. SPRAY- 7 POPCORN POPPER.

I APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wi imwwo Patented May 2, 1905..

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES SPRAY, OF BLOOMINGDALE, INDIANA.

POPCORN-POPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,680, da ed May 2, 1905. Application filed March 30, 1904. Serial No. 200,818.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES SPRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomingdale, in the county of Parke, State of Indiana, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Popcorn-Poppers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to popcorn-poppers, and has for its object to provide a popper which will be simple of construction and cheap of manufacture, which will be so constructed that the closure will be securely held in place, and which will be so arranged that the necessary agitation may be given to the contents of popper with a minimum of labor on the part of the operator.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the popper. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 20f Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modification. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4:.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a popper comprising a body portion 6, which is formed from a rectangular piece of wire fabric, the side and end portions of which are bent upwardly at right angles to the central portion to form the ends 7 and 8 and sides 9 and 10 of the body portion, the resulting corner folds 11 being bent to lie against the sides 9 and 10, as shown. The upper edges of the sides and ends are provided with a binding-strip 12 of tin or other suitable material.

Wires 13 and 14: are disposed against the under side of the body portion and are bent upwardly against the sides thereof, and these wires, as shown in Fig. 2, are passed inwardly through the meshes of the fabric of the corner folds 11 and sides 9 and 10 and again outwardly to form convolutions 15, which confine the corner folds in place. The wires 13 and 14 extend beyond the upper edge of the body portion and immediate thereabove are provided with convolutions 16 for purposes to be presently described. Above the body portion the wires are brought together and twisted to form a handle 17, the upper end of which is bent into the form of a ring 18.

A closure is provided for the body portion which consists of a rectangular piece of metal 19, the side portions 20 of which are bent downwardly, as shown, and these portions 20 are sufliciently spaced from each other to receive the sides 9 and 10 snugly therebetween. in placing the closure in operative position it is disposed upon the body portion with its portions 20 embracing the upper edges there of and lies below the convolutions 16 of the wires 13 and 14., which, together with the pressure of the wires against the outer faces of the portions 20, serve to hold the closure in place.

In use the pepper may be held by the end of the handle 17 with the body portion in the heat from a fire, and the contents may be agitated by a slight movement of the hand of the user, which through the elasticity of the handle 17 moves the body portion in an are. This method, it will be seen, does away with the necessity of shaking the popper, as is usually done, which is a tiresome and laborious operation.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the handle 17 extends outwardly from the body portion at the center of the open side thereof, and this arrangement permits of thorough agitation of the contents of the body portion when the latter is oscillated, and by reason of the fact that when in use the cover lies at the side of the body portion the grains of corn do not come forcibly into contact therewith when they are agitated. Thus danger of accidental opening of the cover is removed.

In Fig. 4 there is shown amodified form of the invention, which consists of the body portion 6, as in the former instance; but in this form it is formed from a circular piece of fabric, the outer portion of which is bent upwardly, the excess of material being taken up by flaps 21, which are secured in place by the wires 13 and 14:, as in the former instance. A stiffening-wire 22 is secured to the upper edge of the body portion, and to this there is hinged, by means of a loop 23, a circular closure 24. The upper ends of the wires 13 and 14 are brought together and twisted to form the handle 17, as described above, and the portions of these wires between the body portion and their point of union bear against the edge of the closure 2 to hold it either in its operative position or at any point in its path of movement, the natural elasticity of the wires permitting of movement of the closure against their action.

In practice modifications of the specific construction shown may be made, and any suitable materials and proportions may be used for the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. A corn-popper comprising a receptacle, wires passed beneath the bottom of the receptacle and around the sides thereof, and extending beyond the top thereof, said wires beyond the top of the receptacle being turned diagonally to a common point of union and twisted together to form a handle, and a closure for the receptacle arranged for frictional engagement of the Wires to be held in place thereby.

2. A corn-popper comprising a receptacle, Wires engaged with the receptacle and extending thereabove to form a handle, said Wires having convolutions therein above the receptacle, and a closure for the receptacle, said closure being engaged by the convolutions of the wire when in operative position to prevent displacement thereof.

3. A corn-popper comprising a receptacle formed of wire fabric including folds arranged in pairs, the folds of each pair being turned toward each other to lie upon the sides of the receptacle, wires passed beneath the receptacle and around the sides thereof and in and out of the folds to hold them in place and extending beyond the top, said wires having convolutions therein above the receptacle and being directed above the convolutions to a common point of union and twisted together to form a handle, and a closure for the receptacle, said convolutions of the Wires being disposed to hold the closure in operative position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES SPRAY.

Nitnesses:

J OSEPH L. SWAIM, A. A. COX. 

